That Fine Line
by X-LonelyGirl-X
Summary: AU Liley. Lilly and Miley used to be the best of friends and now they're worst enemies. What happened that fateful summer and can they work through it? Eventual Liley.


**AN: Dedicated to the girl who broke my heart and didn't even know. Bitch.**

**This is a oneshot, I know its over 12,000 words... It just happened.**

**That Fine Line**

The two of them eyed each other from across the parking lot. One drove a red Audi TT roadster, the other a blue Fiat Punto. Two very different cars for two seemingly different people. Their staring at each other continued as they both slammed their car doors at the same time.

The breeze tugged at the perfect brunette locks, naturally wavy but curled slightly at the ends by experienced hands. The breeze didn't bother the blonde as her hair, naturally straight but usually scruffy, was tucked safely in a beanie.

A perfectly manicured hand took a hold of the cool metal handle at the same time as the hand sporting black nail polish and bitten fingernails grasped the handle. Both hands flinched away from the other as if the almost contact with the other was of some kind of danger. They glared at each other more so than before now, their blue eyes staring deep into the others.

"You still go here then?" the brunette said with some malice, looking at the blonde with disapproval.

"Yes, unfortunately I still have to see your face every day," retorted the blonde, shifting her messenger bag further onto her shoulder as it slipped slightly on her favourite jacket. "Thank God for weekends so I can get some respite..."

"Oh I wish I had such pleasure," said the brunette, flicking deft fingers at her bangs which were being blown out of position by the breeze. "Please, could you black out your windows so that when I look out of mine, I don't have to see you wandering around in your underwear," the brunette smirked, proud of her remark. You see, these two enemies had lived next door to one another since they were nine years old. The positioning of the houses meant that each girl's bedroom window faced out towards the other house, with the windows allowing a full view into the other girl's bedroom. When they were younger, they made one of those 'telephones' from two tin cans and a length of string stretched across the gap between the houses. Such innocent games were merely memories now, memories the girls hated to recall.

"Oh please, you love it!" scoffed the blonde.

"As if!"

"For fuck's sake!" yelled a new voice and the girls turned to see a small crowd of six or seven people waiting to enter the school where they were blocking the door with their argument. "Miley hates Lilly. Lilly hates Miley. We know! Can't you just scratch each other's eyes out later and let people get inside? It's fucking freezing!" The voice belonged to Joanie, who pushed through the two girls and opened the door herself to get inside.

"Pssh, whatever," said Lilly and moved to inside, as did Miley and the two collided in the small door, their shoulders pushing against one another. Eventually, with a shove from someone from behind, Lilly burst into the school. She smirked at Miley as if to say 'I got in first, I beat you', and then headed towards her locker.

-X-

"_Come on Lilly!"_

"_... in a minute!" I called back. I was staring at the moving van which had pulled up outside. A fancy looking car pulled onto next doors drive and the driver, a longish haired man got out and started talking to the moving van driver. The Johnson's house had been up for sale for about three years, it stood empty when they moved to their new house. My brother, Noah, and I had found a way to sneak in via the basement window. The Johnson's had left some of their old furniture and stuff and we'd spend hours playing hide and seek or something like that. It was awesome but, he's older than me and he stopped being the awesome older brother who played with me... now he just went out with his high school friends and I had to sit and just look at the house we used to play in._

_I stared at the two figures still sitting in the car, hoping one of them was my age so I could have a friend to play with. The figure in the front seat got out and I sighed... it was a boy around Noah's age with shaggy dark blonde hair and dressed somewhat like a surfer with board shorts and a Hawaiian style shirt. _

"_Jackson! Come here would you?" shouted the man who'd been driving, presumably the father. The boy hurried over to his dad after making a face through the window to the remaining figure. I watched and prayed it was a girl who was my age. There were no other kids around here, at least none that were very nice anyway._

"_Lilly! Come on! We're waiting!"_

"_Yeah!" I yelled back. "New neighbours!" I shouted, hoping they'd realise why I was taking so long. We were going to the beach today; me, mum, her boyfriend, Noah and Noah's friend Oliver. I bet if Oliver wasn't coming, Noah would be like his old self and make sand castles with me and dig huge holes to China then give up when it was deep enough for me to get in while we tried to fill it with seawater._

_I gasped as I drew my attention back to the figure, who was no longer in the car. Long brunette curls. Checked pink plaid shirt. That's all I could see from here but she turned around, her hand shielding her eyes from the sun. Yes! She was my age! And she didn't look like the kids at the end of the road, the ones who wanted to have fake tea parties and play with dolls and raid their mom's make up. I shuddered, remembering when they'd invited me to play. They said I was like a boy cause I didn't like makeup, that I didn't want to play with dolls. I was a girl – I just preferred to play in the mud or go fishing with mum's boyfriend._

_The girl looked up and saw me at my window. For a moment we both stared at one another... then she grinned. It was huge. It was such a big smile, such a nice smile too. I found myself grinning back, not knowing I'd even done it. She waved and I waved back, only stopping when my mom came in my room._

"_New neighbours?" she said and peered out my window. "Oh they have a daughter about your age look, Lilly. You should go down and say hi, you keep complaining you have no one to play with."_

"_Mhmm..." I said, suddenly nervous cause I knew what was about to happen. My mom took my wrist and took me downstairs, leading me to the door whilst yelling to Noah and Steve, her boyfriend, to come meet the neighbours. _

"_Hey, I'm Heather from next door," she said as we came up to the father and she shook his hand. "I just wanted to welcome you to the neighbourhood." She smiled. Noah and Steve came to join us, both smiling politely at the man before us._

"_Well thank you," he smiled and I noticed how similar the girl's smile was to his. "My name's Robbie and this is my boy Jackson," he said putting his arm around his son's shoulders who definitely didn't enjoy the slight embarrassment and nodded at Noah in that teenage boy way. "And this... Miley? Come over here and meet the neighbours."_

_The girl, Miley, jogged over to us, smiling at me and I felt a slight blush on my cheeks and huddled closer to my mom. "Hi, I'm Miley," she said happily, still grinning and took my hand in an awkward shake. "We're gonna be the best of friends." She said surely and I grinned. _

"_Aww that's so precious," said Steve. "Hey, we're going to the beach today. If you're not too busy with moving in and everything, we'd love for you to join us. Perhaps show you around town a little?"_

"_Yeah, thanks, that'd be great. I'll just get the boxes unloaded and then we'll come find you?"_

"_Great." Said Steve and shook Robbie's hand as we turned to leave. _

"_I'll see you later, yeah?"_

_I turned, the voice belonging to Miley and directed at me. I nodded shyly and her grin somehow grew wider. My mom chuckled softly before opening the car door and pushing me inside next to Noah. We all offered a wave to our new neighbours as we drove off; Miley waving the hardest and I watched her recede into the distance then out of view as we turned a corner. _

-X-

"Mrs Francis?"

"Yes, Lilly?" she responded, looking over her horn-rimmed glasses.

"Can I go print my homework off in the library? I ran out of ink last night at home,"

She sighed and tutted slightly. "Yes okay, but be quick about it. You should have done it before the lesson you know."

"Sorry, I didn't have time," Lilly apologised, grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room. She paused at her locker, spinning the dial and opening it to get check her biology textbook was in there for next period. If she didn't have it, Miss Harbottle would have her head. She sighed in relief when she saw it tucked there next to her psychology book and her sketch book. Slamming the locker and turning, Lilly headed to the Library. When she reached the door, she heard a familiar voice which caused her mood to drop...

"I know right, it's just so typical of her. Barging past me as if she's better than me; we all know that isn't true,"

"You're so right Miley. That Lilly girl should just change schools or something," responded another girl and Lilly's face turned into a scowl at the voices. She barged into the library, pushing on the door as hard as she could. She'd judged it well, the two girls were stood close to the door and the force of Lilly's push on the door knocked Traci into Miley who stumbled back into one of the bookshelves, knocking several dictionaries down to the floor.

She was fazed for a moment but then Miley clocked eyes with Lilly and her face and mouth turned to venom. "You complete bitch! You did that on purpose!"

"Prove it," smirked Lilly and headed to the desk where the librarians were looking on at the scene. "Hi, can I print some work off please?"

"Yeah..." said the librarian still looking towards Miley and Traci, who was now rubbing her back where the door had hit her. "You better pick those books up, Miss Stewart."

"What?" she retorted. "I didn't do anything! _She_ should be the one to pick them up, she caused it!"

"Grow up, Miss Stewart. It was clearly an accident, plus, you girls shouldn't have been standing so close to the door. Pick those books up."

"Wha... but... she... ugh! Fine!" she said, bending to pick up the books and roughly putting them back on the shelf. "Come on Traci," she said, glaring at Lilly as she grabbed Traci's arm and dragged her from the room.

Lilly chuckled, quite proud of the whole thing. Miley, however, was fuming. She was so fucked off that she didn't realise how tight she was gripping Traci's arm till the dark haired girl began to whimper. Miley released her and pulled her hands through her hair before leaning her forehead against the cool glass of the window, she needed to calm down before she went into her lesson. Outside she saw how windy it had become, how the sky had darkened. She knew it'd be raining by the time school let out and she didn't have an umbrella... her hair went so frizzy when it got wet and for some reason, she directed even this frustration at the blonde who irritated her so.

-X-

"_Happy Birthday!"_

_I jumped back startled. I'd just walked in and flicked the light on to find Lilly stood there in my room, holding a cake and grinning wildly._

"_What? It's not my birthday till tomorrow, and how did you even get in here?"_

"_It's a surprise silly! And what's more surprising than a surprise birthday party the day before your birthday?" she said still grinning as she put the cake down on my bedside table. It looked so delicious, with white frosting with pink stripes which weren't very straight and I saw, in Lilly's scruffy writing 'Happy 12__th__ Birthday Miley' in pink. She'd made it herself... I felt my heart swell at my best friend, she was just unbelievable._

"_Surprise birthday party?" I queried and looked around, half expecting more people to jump out and scare me half to death. "But you're the only one here..."_

"_Well duh! That's what makes it the best birthday party ever!" she laughed and then her arms were around my neck in a hug. I wrapped my arms around her back, my hands on her protruding shoulder blades. I grinned into the crook of her neck._

"_You're so full of yourself," I told her and she pulled back, that trademark 'Truscott grin' on her face. _

"_So?" she shrugged and reached into her pocket. "I have something for you," she said and pulled out a small white box, tied with a black ribbon and sporting a small pink gift tag with my name in a neat cursive gold. _

"_Oh man, Lilly, this looks expensive..." I said, scared my friend had spent all her money on a gift for me._

"_Yeah, it kinda was but you're my best friend and you're worth the world," she said dropping her gaze and her cheeks tinged with pink. I smiled at her blushing and tucked a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear before taking the box she offered me. _

"_It's not even my birthday yet... should I even open this?"_

"_Yes! Then you'll have an awesome 'last day of being eleven!'" she laughed and I smirked at her; she was so weird... but I loved it._

_I pulled carefully at the black ribbon, taking my time so not to seem too eager by ripping into it. I even carefully folded the ribbon afterward and placed it on my dresser. I lifted the lid to the box and moved away the white tissue paper and found something which made my eyes feel damp and my heart feel so full of love for my best friend. _

"_So... do you like it?" asked Lilly nervously. I didn't answer; I just pulled her into another hug. She chuckled softly, "I'll take that as a yes."_

"_Take it as a huge yes!" I told her, reluctantly pulling away to admire the best birthday present I was sure I'd ever get. I lifted the fine silver chain so that the pendent hung in front of my eyes. It was a small silver circle with a hole in the middle, and on the outside, engraved in the silver, were the words 'Miley and Lilly Forever'. I ran my finger over the words, tingling inside as I read the words over and over again. "I love it so much..." I told her, not tearing my eyes from the beautiful gift. "Help me put it on?" I asked and she smiled softly, taking the fine chain from my hands and turning me around. I pulled my hair away from my neck and she clasped it together. I felt her cool fingers on the back of my neck for a mere moment before she turned me back around._

"_It looks good," she said approvingly."But not as good as mine," she laughed and pulled the neck of her shirt down to show me the same pendant around her neck, but hers didn't have the silver chain, hers had a black leather cord to tie it around her neck. _

"_You spent too much Lilly," I told her as I fingered the pendant at my own neck._

"_Hey, you're worth it," she repeated taking my hand like we so often did. "I love you Miley,"_

"_I love you too!" I told her excitedly, squeezing her hand and grinning more than I thought I could._

"_So let me spend money on you. I love you," she repeated and I felt slightly giddy from hearing the words. "Of course I love you; you're my best friend." I didn't realise at first, and I don't think she noticed but... my grin faltered slightly._

-X-

The final bell rang and everyone, staff and student alike, sighed in relief and all the students rushed to get their stuff together to leave. The noise of the intercom sounded and the staff somehow managed to quieten the ruckus which was created at every home time.

"This is Principle Luger, as many of you have probably heard on the news... and seen from looking out of the windows..." said the voice over the intercom system. Many students now looked out of the window to see that the wind really had picked up and the rain was lashing down. "There's a storm coming in, but we still expect you to come into school. Do not think that by calling the office and saying you can't get into school that you can have a day off – we will be checking with your parents, we'll even send staff to come pick you up if need be. That is all."

"What a joke!" someone said. "What if my house gets flooded or something?"

"We'll all be better off cause you may get a wash for once," someone retaliated.

Lilly sighed at the pathetic-ness and grabbed her bag, heading to her locker for her jacket, wishing she'd worn a bigger one today. The weather really didn't look good, and skipping school was tempting... but she had art tomorrow and she loved that lesson. She zipped up her jacket and slung her bag across her, heading out to brave the short trip to her car.

Miley was just heading towards the door when she spotted Lilly just leaving; she saw her chance for some kind of revenge. As soon as Lilly was in the rain Miley grabbed her beanie and yanked it from her head, exposing the long blonde hair to the elements. Her hair whipped around her face and she span to see who'd stolen her beanie. She had to physically move her hair so she could see. Her blue eyes glared at Miley who just laughed and tossed the beanie into the air, the strong wind caught it and it swirled in the air and came to land in a puddle in the lot. Lilly felt a need to strike out, and if it were someone else she probably would have done. And as much as she hated Miley Stewart, something stopped her and she instead chose to turn on her heel and to her car.

Miley was stunned. Why didn't she retaliate? She felt a need to chase after the blonde, whose long hair was billowing around as if it had a mind of its own. She wanted to grab her shoulder and spin her around, tell her to retaliate, to push her to the ground or kick up a puddle at her or steal her scarf and throw it to the floor with the beanie. Instead, she just watched as Lilly scooped up the beanie, rung it out and got in her little blue car.

-X-

"_Lilly..."_

"_Mhmm?" I responded, turning slightly to look at Miley from behind my sunglasses._

_Her mouth opened and closed and she turned her eyes up to the sky as we lay there, the sun making strands of her brunette locks look like spun gold."It doesn't matter..." she said closing her eyes and shuffling slightly on the towel she lay on and I saw redness on her cheeks and I knew we hadn't been out here sunbathing long enough for her to have gotten burnt._

_I propped myself up on an elbow and looked at her, trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. Her hair was matted slightly from where sand had collected in the sections which were still wet. Her eyes twitched slightly, as if she knew I was watching her and she rubbed at her eye then rested her hand on her toned stomach. She didn't really wear jewellery, neither did I, but she wore a single silver ring on the ring finger of her right hand and it reflected the Malibu sun and made it shimmer as if it were diamond rather than silver. The only other jewellery she wore was the pendant I gave her for her 12__th__ birthday, the one she hadn't taken off for four years. I smiled, reading the engraving on hers which was the same on mine which I also wore. The pendent rested just on her collar bone where water droplets were collected on her chest from when we'd been in the sea._

"_Lilly..." she said again and I realised my eyes had roamed further down from the pendant and over her yellow bikini clad chest and down her long legs and back. I pulled my gaze from her to find her watching me. "...come on," she said and jumped to her feet, taking my hand and pulling me down the beach and into the sea where she kicked up water at me and I squealed before kicking up more water at her._

"_You know not to start water fights with me Miles," I warned her, grinning as I cupped my hands to throw the water._

"_True, but I've learned a thing or two," she said smiling devilishly as she wiped water from her eyes. I was curious and stood still, although in a stance which meant I could splash her at a moment's notice. As it turned out, I had less than a moment cause she dived on me, her hands on my shoulders trying to wrestle me into the water. I laughed as I fought back and discovered she was much stronger than what she appeared. I tried to tell her it was no use, that I'd ultimately win but she strove on, pushing harder and with one final push and her foot behind mine, she toppled me into the water with an almighty splash. _

_I went under and as I sat up, spluttering, I reached up and grabbed her, pulling her down too. We both laughed as we continued our fighting, dunking each other in the water or splashing when we were pinned down. _

"_Okay okay, I give up," I said holding my hands up as she practically straddled me in the surf. _

"_You're not trying to trick me are you?" she asked with a sceptically raised eyebrow. I shook my head. She smirked, leaning down, entwining her fingers in my still raised hands. "You sure? Cause I don't trust you,"_

"_Of course you trust me," I said and tried to sit up, resulting in her slipping to sit on my lap. "I'm your best friend. You _have_ to trust me, it's like 'Best Friend Law'" I grinned but she didn't smile back. Instead her face fell somewhat, and she released my hands and stood up. "What's wrong?" I asked her. Was it something I said? But what did I say to cause her to lose that grin of hers, of that playfulness?_

"_Nothing." She said, squeezing water out of her hair. "It's getting late, we should head home." _

"_...okay," I said, still not understanding her sudden change of mood. I didn't bring it up again, knowing that she'd tell me eventually, she always did... that's what best friends do, right?_

-X-

Miley woke the next morning not from her alarm clock, but from the thunder that startled her awake. She peeled off her bed covers and headed to the window to peer out.

"Oh my god," she breathed seeing the almost black sky even for seven in the morning. Lightning flashed in the distance and the rain lashed against the window, the wind blowing the fall leaves in small tornados. "They want us to go to school in this?" she muttered to herself. She was still going, but not because of Principle Luger's announcement – she had art today, and she loved that lesson.

She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and a light caught her attention. Looking up she saw the light came from Lilly's window. She could see Lilly, stood by her light switch in a pyjama top and boxers, stretching and reaching her hands high up and leaning back, cracking her spine. Miley found herself smiling but it was gone as suddenly as it came as Lilly turned around, clocked Miley's staring and put up her middle finger. Miley made a similar gesture before turning and getting ready for school.

The two girls both shouted a good bye to their family as they left the house, heading down their respective drives to their cars. Lilly had a slice of toast still in her mouth as she ran to her car, holding a hand protectively over the toast to protect it from the rain. Miley held her bag over head as she couldn't find her umbrella in time this morning. The two girls used to share a ride to school, each day they would take the other's car but there was none of that now. They both rushed to be the first off of the drive so not to be stuck behind the other all the way to school.

Miley lost. Lilly got off of her driveway first and Miley pressed on her horn as Lilly purposely went too slow to piss her off.

-X-

The storm had gotten much worse by the time last period came around. Some of the younger student's parents came in to take them home, scared that their child wouldn't get home safely. Lilly pulled her jacket over her head before she ran outside and to the art block which was a separate building to the school. When she finally reached it, she was pretty much drenched from the waist down, her skinny jeans rubbing harshly on her cold skin. She pulled out her ID card with her cold fingers and swiped it, noted the red light turn green then pushed on the heavy door into the deliciously warm building. She hung her jacket up and the water dripped off of it into a puddle on the wooden floor. Turning, Lilly saw Miley through the small glass window, running holding her bag above her head.

Miley had her card out ready to open the door but the red light wouldn't turn green no matter how many times she swiped her card. She swore under her breath, getting more soaked each time her card failed to work. She heard muffled laughter and looked to see Lilly at the other side of the door, clearly amused Miley couldn't get in. Miley scowled and banged on the window, pretending it was Lilly's face.

"Open the fucking door!" she yelled but Lilly continued to laugh, letting the rain pour down on Miley. Lilly and Miley's teacher came out to see what the noise was and let Miley in, and giving them both detention. "What? Why me? She was the one who didn't let me in!"

"Your foul language should stay in your head Miss Stewart," the teacher, Miss Pierce, told her. "There are younger students here who thankfully haven't learnt swear words yet. Now both of you get into the classroom and try not to kill each other on the way." She said. All the girls' teachers knew of the disdain the two girls shared. It was a common topic of discussion in the staff room as they all knew how the two were best friends... then suddenly, everything changed.

-X-

"_Camp? For how long?"_

"_It's a summer camp Lilly," I half-laughed. "I'll be gone all summer."_

"_But... what am I gonna do without my best friend _all _summer?" she whined and clung to me. They shouldn't hurt, those words shouldn't hurt... but they did. "What do you expect me to do? Sit in my room as Noah brings home girl after girl after girl... I need my bestie to talk to about them, to laugh about their pathetic liking of my brother even though everyone knows he's a whore."_

"_Yeah, I'll have my phone... you can text me and stuff..." I supplied but I knew I probably wouldn't get signal there._

"_I know but it's not the same!"_

"_Lilly... stop it, you'll be fine." I said pulling out of her embrace and sitting down on my bed, amongst my clothes which I'd half packed. "We're not joined at the hip you know."_

"_...Miley?" It was only my name but it was a question; she was questioning why I was being like this, why I'd been like this so often lately, why I never said 'I love you too' anymore. I was just sick of it all. I needed to get out of here; I needed to get away from Lilly. Ever since I moved here, my whole life revolved around her, she was my life, my entire world. They tell you not to do that, those quote things – 'Never make someone your everything, cause when they're gone you have nothing.' Sure Lilly wasn't physically gone, but maybe it was me... maybe I was the one who was gone... gone in the head! Something's wrong with me I swear._

"_What?" I said, deciding I'd been quiet for too long. _

_She knelt down in front of me, putting her hands on my knees and placing her chin atop of them, looking up at me with puppy dog eyes. I forced myself to focus on her forehead instead; I knew I couldn't resist anything when those beautiful, blue eyes looked up at me with such sadness and a pout adorning her lips. "I love you," she said softly. She didn't. She couldn't. She wouldn't._

"_Yeah, me too." I responded almost deadpanned._

"_Stop that, I've told you before. Say you love me." She pleaded and I knew she'd accentuated the pout but I was looking at her forehead still._

"_I just did..."_

"_No. You said 'me too'."_

"_What's the difference?" I almost spat. I knew there was a difference. A huge one. But then 'I love you' had its own differences, you could say it to one person and it was friendly... or you could say it to mean so much more... so much more._

"_Miley. Why are you like this with me lately?" she said, a question she so often asked and one I so often dismissed. I remained silent and refused to look at her so she continued. "I spoke to Jake about it and he thinks its cause you're jealous that I have a boyfriend and you don't."_

_That pissed me off. "Oh I guess if King Jake said it then it must be true. Yes Lilly, that's the reason. I'm jealous. I want a boyfriend. I want someone to make me spend all my money and not have him spend a dime on me. I want a boyfriend so I can have someone who only wants me for sex and to get me to try drugs and...and..." my voice trailed off and I fought back tears which choked my throat. "Jake's a dick."_

"_Where is all this coming from Miley?" she questioned and squeezed my knees, clearly trying not to get angry at me. She knew I disapproved of what Jake was doing to her... what I said was true. He'd lulled her into his cave like a fucking predator and like the evil little fuck he was, he took her virginity. She came back, mascara down her face, her hair all over, her shirt unbuttoned and her jeans ripped. She didn't go home; she came to me, crying as I held her and trying to ask her if he'd raped her. I wanted to go beat the hell out of him but she told me over and over that he never raped her... then... then she told me she was high went they had sex. I'd let go of her then. She'd cried even more; so upset that I was disappointed in her. Sleeping with Jake cause I thought it was him pressuring her, that I could deal with, could forgive her for being so foolish. But drugs? Was she stupid? Of course, I forgave her but I suppose I respected her a little less. She was so upset and wished she never did it and I believed her, and every sob and heave of her chest as I held her again made me forget that grudge and just love her how she needed me to right then... by holding her and not saying a word. _

"_I know you don't like Jake..." she said and I scoffed. "But I still do. I know the whole drugs thing was stupid and everything but I still love him. Can't you understand that?" I didn't respond, instead choosing to fall back and lie amongst my clothes. She sighed and even though I couldn't see her, I knew she was pulling a hand through her hair and playing at the pendant at her neck, the one that matched mine... the one I hadn't taken off for five years."Don't you want me to be happy?"_

_I sat up abruptly then. "How dare you? How fucking _dare_ you? That's _all_ I want! I want you to be happy Lilly, don't you ever doubt that. Jake is a complete dickhead, he's not going to make you happy Lilly."_

"_Well you're not doing a very good job right now..." she said, turning from me. I grabbed her waist and pulled her back, hugging her from behind, resting my cheek on her shoulder. _

"_I love you."_

"_I love you too, Miles." She said. But she didn't. She couldn't. She wouldn't._

-X-

"Bitch," muttered Lilly as she shouldered past Miley to wash the blue paint off of her hands.

"Whore." Miley muttered back. Lilly was hurt by that and pushed Miley with her paint covered hand. Miley didn't notice the paint and just pushed Lilly again before heading back to her table. Lilly chuckled softly to herself as she watched her friend-turned-enemy walk away with a blue handprint on her jacket. She washed the paint off her hands then returned to the canvas she'd painted, picking it up and moving it to the side to dry. She smiled at the piece; proud of it... she turned slightly, looking around in case Miley was planning to ruin it. Miley had her back to her though, the handprint making Lilly smirk.

The lights flickered before turning off completely, plunging the room into an almost blackness due to the lack of light from outside. The whole class began excited murmurs, some wondering if school would be cancelled from lack of power... Miley saw no point in cancelling school; there was only twenty minutes left anyway. The lights flickered and came back on, Miss Pierce telling the class to continue with their work.

Miley yawned; her piece was finished and all she needed was to let the watercolours dry. She scratched her back and found a wet patch, pulling her hand back around she found blue paint on her fingers. She didn't have to look to see who was using blue paint to know who had done it. She saw the blonde at the other side of the room, observing her blue canvas. Miley noted how Lilly had gotten some paint into her hair which she'd tied up in a scruffy ponytail, the ends still wet from the rain. Miley also noticed that Lilly had rolled her jeans up to above her knees, the denim wet and she'd also taken her sneakers off and Miley could see that her socks were still wet. What did she do, swim here? Miley thought. Lilly hadn't let Miley in when the door didn't work so she'd been in the rain longer, yet her clothes weren't nearly as drenched as Lilly's seemed to be.

Miley headed over to Lilly, trying not to be seen as she dipped her hand in some red powder paint and carefully brushed her hand down Lilly's back, trying not to press too hard that Lilly would notice. The blonde didn't feel Miley's fingers writing on her back but what she did notice was the sudden stifled laughs from people behind her. She turned, hoping to get some gossip but as soon as she turned around, they stopped. And she knew. It was her she was laughing at. She spotted Miley rinsing her hands in the sink; saw the red on her fingers... She shrugged off her sweatshirt and held it out, seeing in now smudged red letters... 'Whore'.

"That's it..." muttered Lilly, hastily brushing at the red powder before throwing the sweatshirt down on her chair. She knew that the white cami she wore was damp still from the rain and that it was probably showing her black bra to the entire art class but she didn't care; she just needed to do something. She marched up to Miley, grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. "What the actual fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Language, Miss Truscott!" said the authoritive voice of Miss Pierce who didn't look up at the girls, merely heard the cussing and recognised the voice. If she looked up, maybe what was about to happen could have been avoided.

"Making cookies," said Miley sarcastically as she dried her hands on a paper towel. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

The lights flickered and went off again. "When did you become such a bitch?"

"Truscott!" came Miss Pierce's voice in the dark.

"About the same time you turned into a complete and utter slut!"

"Ugh!" came Lilly's shout and in the dark room, the class watched and listened as the two shadowed figures began throwing punches and attacking the other's hair. Miss Pierce ran over and tried to separate the two of them but they continued, grabbing handfuls of powder paint and throwing it at the other. One tripped the other and they fell back just as the lights came back on and a loud rumble of thunder sounded, muffling the sound of the large vase which was used for still life sketches, filled with small marbles, stones and even sweets was smashed on the ground, its contents spilling everywhere.

"Both of you! Stop!" yelled Miss Pierce and managed to get between the girls before Lilly could launch herself back at Miley. "You're going to clean up this mess, no matter how long it takes. Then you'll be getting a _month's_ worth of detention! Get started!"

The bell announcing the end of school echoed then and the class began moving to leave, small breezes from their movements causing billows of powder paint to come off of the two girls as they glared at each other. Blue, red, green, yellow, white and black clouds of the paint covered the two girls almost from head to toe, the paint wet in places from their damp clothing and hair.

"Get started!" repeated Miss Pierce and with a final glare at one another, they both crouched and began picking up pieces of vase and other stuff that was on the ground. "Get a bag to put the rubbish in, but first, brush the paint off yourselves or you'll be end up making more work for yourself."

It was true; each movement the girls made deposited a little paint on the ground which only added to what they had to clean up. Sighing, the girls moved off and brushed off what they could then swept up the powder, still having coloured patches all over themselves. Lilly wiped her forehead and Miley stifled a giggle at how she'd just wiped three green lines across her skin. Lilly scowled at the brunette.

"Your fault," she muttered.

"Yours." Miley said just as quietly.

It took fifteen minutes to fill one of the bags Miss Pierce had gotten them from the art store room next door. And they'd barely made a dent in the sheer amount of mess they'd made. There was a knock at the door and both girls looked up to see a member of staff, completely drenched stood at the door. Miss Pierce waved her in and she glanced over at the two girls, shook her head then turned back to Miss Pierce.

"There's a phone call at main reception for you, Sarah,"

Miss Pierce looked over to the girls then back, "Who is it? I don't really want to leave these two alone in case they make more of a mess,"

"It's Graham... I'm sorry, Sarah, but there's been an accident,"

"Oh god," she said, her hand going to her mouth. She cast a glare to the girls as she grabbed her handbag, "Behave!" then she jogged out of the room with the other woman. Both girls heard the slam of the door as the two staff members left.

"This is your entire fault," Miley said and stood. "I'm gonna go get another bag,"

"Whatever," Lilly muttered and sat down on the floor, her knees aching from crouching. Miley left the art classroom and went to the art storeroom but it wasn't long before Lilly heard her voice echoing in the empty building.

"Fetch a chair! I can't reach!"

"Come get one yourself!" Lilly yelled back.

"What?" Miley shouted back, genuinely not hearing what Lilly had said.

"For fuck's sake," she grumbled and stood up, grabbing a chair and heading out the door, down the corridor and to the store room. The door was open and Lilly tried to manoeuvre the chair inside without knocking anything. At this point, the lights flickered for merely a second before going off completely. There was no window in the storeroom and it was plunged into blackness. Lilly stubbed her toe on something and fell, the chair flying from her hands as she put her arms out to save herself. Miley screamed as the chair just missed her in the darkness. The door slammed shut.

"Oh well done," Miley spat and went to open the door. It wouldn't budge. She pulled and pulled but the door wouldn't open. "Great. You kicked the fucking doorstop and now we can't get out. Congratulations."

"Calm down, it's not like I did it on purpose," Lilly retaliated and stood up, rubbing her arm. Thunder rumbled again and even though the girls couldn't see it, lightening forked in the sky. "The lights will come back on in a minute like before."

A minute passed. Then two. Then seven. Still no lights. Miley reached out in the dark and found Lilly's shoulder and shoved her. "Your fucking fault."

"I am not fighting in here with you," Lilly said trying to stay calm. "There's no one to stop me ripping your pretty little head off."

"Oh you would be so lucky," Miley said and sank down to the floor, leaning her back against the wall. "What are we supposed to do? There's no one in the building. There's no electric so the fucking door won't open to let anyone in. And no one knows we're in here."

"Thank you, Sherlock, but I am managing to keep up with the situation." Miley found something on one of the shelves and aimed the small thing in the direction of Lilly's voice but it merely thudded off of the wall. "Ha! Missed. You never could throw."

"So? You could never win when I wrestled you."

"I let you win."

"Sure, of course you did. That's why you got upset when I won too easily."

"I did not!"

"You so did!"

"Whatever."

"Oh look, I won again," Miley smirked and then heard something hit the wall next to her ear. "Hey bitch! That almost got me."

"Damn, I was so close," said Lilly who was suddenly illuminated in a bluish light. Miley resisted the urge to throw something now she knew where her target was and instead copied Lilly and took out her own cell phone.

"No reception." Said the girls in sync.

Lilly went clicked various buttons and put the camera of her phone on, turned the flash on and the bright white light lit up the room slightly, allowing the two girls to see. Long creepy shadows crawled up the walls and Miley tried to ignore them. Miley also put her flash on and set it on one of the shelves, lighting up the room a little more.

"Great..." muttered Lilly as she leant back against the wall.

"What?"

"I now have to suffer by not only being stuck in here with you for fuck knows how long, but I've got to look at your face too... Hey!" she added as Miley threw a paintbrush at her and it hit her arm.

"I'm not impressed with the situation either Lilly! You really think I want to be here?"

"...no."

"Well then, shut up." Miley ordered and crossed her arms.

Five minutes, then ten then twenty minutes passed and neither of the girls spoke. They didn't look at each other, simply stared at their shoes or at the strange shadows on the wall.

-X-

"_Miley comes home today doesn't she?" my mom said as I ran down the stairs to breakfast. I nodded, having been crossing the days off till my best friend returned home from camp. "I bet you can't wait."_

"_Understatement of the year," I said with a mouthful of toast. I really couldn't wait. I never could wait. The day after she left I was desperate for her to come home. I missed her too much. A week passed and I found that I couldn't remember what her voice sounded like. Two weeks and I struggled to think what it was like to hug her. By today, I needed to remember how she wore her hair, how she laughed, how big that grin got when she saw me. _

"_Do you know what time she gets home?" _

"_Ten." I told her, "Her dad told me."_

_I only got news of Miley from her letters home to her dad and Jackson. She never sent me letters, maybe cause she thought her dad would share his with me. I knew she didn't have reception up there so that explained the lack of texts and phone calls... still, the only thing I'd gotten from her was a card on my seventeenth birthday. It didn't say much, merely 'To Lilly, from Miley'. There were no kisses. None of her usual mushy speeches written on the inside of the cover like usual. The card wasn't anything special either; a small card with a picture of the camp she was at, clearly bought at the camp's gift shop. It was like she hadn't tried. Then I told myself she was busy having fun and probably didn't have time... but then she sent her dad a parcel for his birthday. I didn't know what she'd got him and I didn't ask cause I didn't want to be upset that I didn't get a gift. _

_It was nine thirty, which meant Miley would be home in thirty minutes. I practically bounced in my seat as those minutes passed so painfully slow. To pass time quicker, I decided to go tidy my bedroom, much to the surprise of my mum. I'd made my bed, vacuumed and was putting some clothes in my closet when Noah knocked on my door. He'd come home from college for the weekend and he smiled the Truscott grin at me._

"_Sis, Miley's car just pulled up," he said and then laughed as my own Truscott grin spread over my face. I ran to my window and saw Robbie and Jackson coming out to meet their daughter. I cast my eyes over to the car as Miley climbed out of the car, almost elegantly and ever so slowly. I followed up that single long leg that poked out of the door soon followed by the other. She'd tanned more, I was sure of it. Her skin was golden and sun kissed and it emphasised those exceedingly long legs of hers. A single hand rested atop the door, that same silver ring she always wore sparkling in the sun but now there were more rings adorning her fingers, also shining in the Malibu sun. Then she stood and I took a step back from the window slightly. When did she get so gorgeous? Her face was thinner but not overly thin, just enough to accentuate those perfect cheekbones and make her lips look slightly pouty. She seemed to take off the large sunglasses slowly and her eyes, even from here, they looked so _bright_. Her hair was bleached slightly from sun exposure, making those natural lighter highlights of her chestnut coloured hair, golden. She wore short denim shorts and a cropped plaid shirt which flaunted that perfect stomach of hers, the abs clearly visible and I noted the piercing of her belly button. She ran with open arms and a sublime grace to hug her father and brother individually._

"_You just gonna stand there or are you gonna go hug her?" Noah said poking my side. I didn't need to be told twice as I raced down the stairs and out the front door. I couldn't make my feet go quick enough, I wanted to get there in seconds but it took too long. Somehow, I managed to get onto her driveway before the next millennium._

"_Miley!" I yelled and she span around. I grinned at my friend who I'd been without for so long. A small smile touched the corners of those lips of hers but it faded as soon as it came, her eyes narrowing slightly. I ignored it and jogged over, noting Jackson give his sister an elbow in the waist to push her forward towards me. I grinned at her and she offered nothing but a polite smile. "I missed you so much!" I said and wrapped my arms around her. Her arms barely moved, as if she didn't want to touch me._

"_Yeah... I missed you too," she said with hardly any emotion in her voice. She must just be tired from the long journey..._

"_You must be exhausted from the drive," I said as I released her._

_She brushed at her bangs with her fingers, her eyes not once looking into mine. "No... not really, no."_

"_Oh..." I said. Well, my theory of her not hugging me and lack of emotion was wrong. _

"_Um..." she rubbed a finger across her nose, still not looking at me. "How's Jake?"_

"_We broke up not long after you left. I've been so lonely without you Miley," I saw her eyes light up slightly at my words but that light faded. What was up with her? I didn't know what to say, she didn't seem to want to hear me say anything... we were silent for about two minutes before her dad took her elbow._

"_Come on Miles, let's get some food in you," he poked at her tiny waist. "Do they not feed you at that place?"_

"_Of course they do, silly," she laughed and slapped his arm playfully. Why wasn't she like that with me? That easiness? They all walked back into the house and Jackson nudged his sister again. She looked at him and I saw him whisper to her before nodding in my direction. She sighed before turning back to me and plastering a fake smile. "It was nice to see you again, Lilly."_

"_You too!" I said, meaning it. It wasn't the reunion I'd imagined... but she was home. Maybe she'd be back to her old self once she'd been home a couple of days?_

_That didn't happen. I grinned and waved and tried to talk to her each time I saw her but I only got minimal response and little emotion. Soon I gave up but tried to remain polite. Then the hate started. The rejection set in and retaliation started to occur. Soon we couldn't even look at each other without shouting some slur at the other. I'd lost her. My Miley was gone and I didn't know where she'd disappeared to... or if I'd ever see her again._

-X-

"Why is it so fucking cold?" complained Lilly as she rolled down her jeans which were still wet and didn't offer much warmth. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to warm herself up but it was like rubbing two icicles together. Why didn't I put my damn sweatshirt back on? She thought, as she shivered in her thin cami.

"Here," said Miley and tossed Lilly her jacket. Miley wore a long sleeved jumper underneath, she'd be fine. Lilly observed the jacket which had landed at her feet with suspicion. "Are you not gonna put it on? Cause I'll have it back if not,"

"No..." Lilly said softly and picked up the jacket, shuffling into it and relishing in the warmth Miley had left in it. Subconsciously, Lilly inhaled Miley's scent and it made her think back to the days they'd spent together, rolling around in their stupid little games, or when she taught Miley how to climb trees... "You know, I think that's the nicest thing you've done for me in about two years."

"So?" shrugged Miley and looked down at her feet, glad there wasn't enough light for Lilly to see her blush. She hated being trapped in here with Lilly, with all those memories.

"... Miley? Can I ask you something?"

"I think you'd ask regardless of my answer, wouldn't you?" She responded, trying to get the wall to swallow her up. She knew what was coming.

"Yes." Lilly swallowed and took a deep breath. "What happened with us? We were the best of friends... then you came home from camp and everything was different. What happened to my best friend?"

Miley knew what Lilly would ask but it didn't mean she was prepared for it. She burst into tears, lifting her knees and burying her face in them as she wrapped her hands around her head, her whole body heaving with the tears. Her reaction scared Lilly but she edged closer to the crying girl until she could reach out and touch her. She rested her hand on Miley's arm but Miley shrugged her off viciously.

"You have no idea, do you?" Miley yelled at the blonde girl in the dark, tears making her voice thick. "You have no _fucking_ idea!" Miley's built up emotions were rising to the surface, she'd buried them for so long but now they were threatening to bubble over and Miley knew, once a trickle escaped, the whole dam would burst.

"Then tell me!" shouted Lilly, wishing she didn't raise her voice at the upset girl before her. But the question had been unanswered for so damn long.

"I...I can't..." Miley said her voice suddenly vulnerable and her teary eyes shimmered in the glow from the cell phones. "Don't make me... Lilly... don't make me..."

"Miley, I need to know. I need to know why my best friend started to care less about me, then disappeared of to a camp in the middle of nowhere and came back a shadow of the girl I once knew." Lilly edged closer, hoping Miley would look her in the eyes and see how much she needed to know. "I still miss you, you know. I pretend I don't cause it makes it easier but you have no idea what pain I went through when you came back..."

"I miss you too," she admitted, but in a voice so small Lilly wasn't sure she'd heard her correctly. But it gave her hope. "But you have no idea about my pain either."

"Then tell me," Lilly said softly. "Tell me why everything changed for us." Miley remained silent. "We were great together, the best friends in the world. I thought we were gonna be best friends forever... was it something I did?"

"No..." Miley said softly. Lilly sighed, wishing she could just get Miley to tell her without having to resort to 'twenty questions' to try and get some kind of idea about what had caused the two to split. "It was something you _didn't_ do."

Lilly's eyes widened. She was getting somewhere. "Something I didn't do? What didn't I do?

Miley stood then, walking away, her hands pulling at her hair. "Don't... Don't make me... you can't make me..." she said, more tears running down her face.

-X-

"_So, what's her name?"_

"_What?" I asked stunned, spinning to face my roommate for the summer. She was sat on the top bunk, casually leaning her head against the wall as her leg swung over the edge._

"_You heard me," she smirked, nodding at the pendent I kept touching out of habit. She pulled a hand through her long black hair with the purple streaks, the jewellery on her fingers shimmering in the artificial light. _

"_I uh... I don't know what you mean..." I said, turning to continue unpacking my things._

"_Oh you know perfectly well what I mean," she chuckled. "She's straight isn't she? You fell for a straight girl."_

"_What? No. I'm not... I'm not gay," I stammered, by heart racing. _

"_Sure, and I'm the fucking President of the United States,"_

"_I'm not!" I argued and she just chuckled. _

"_Sweetheart, you're not subtle about it. Sure, people might not guess the gay thing straight away but you can see lovesick written all over your face... what's her name?"_

_I was silent for a few minutes. I was stunned... was it really that obvious? Then why hadn't the one person I wanted to notice have no clue? "Her name...is Lilly."_

"_Lilly," she rolled the name around in her mouth. "Sounds hot. But, I should warn you, never ever ever fall for the straight girl – they only break your heart, and they don't even care."_

"_I know..." I breathed, closing my eyes for a second, trying not to cry. It was only yesterday I saw her, and already it felt too long. But I needed to get away. I couldn't cope with it much longer, the 'I love you' which she didn't mean, at least, not in the way I wanted her to. She didn't. She couldn't. She wouldn't._

"_I could help you forget about her you know..." the girl said and I turned, intrigued. "I could make her nothing but a memory."_

"_...how?" I queried, desperate for anything to rid me of these aching feelings. "I'd do anything to forget my feelings for her..."_

"_Well..." she said, jumping down from the bunk and her hands turned me around gently so that my back was to her. Her hands slipped from my shoulders, caressing down my body to rest on my hips. I shivered slightly from the soft touch of her tongue on my neck as she pulled my back into her, her hands pressing on my stomach to keep me from running. Her hands started making their way south, stopping short as she breathed into my ear. "I can make you forget she ever existed."_

_I admit, I was entranced by this mysterious girl... but I pulled away from her and ran into the woods. I didn't know where I was heading... I just knew that even though what she promised was tempting, Lilly was the only thing on my mind as she ran her hands over my body._

_For several days I only returned to the cabin to sleep, avoiding my roommate as much as I could. Then one night, after waking from a vivid dream about Lilly from which I woke with tears on my face... I whispered the girl's name, Katie. I knew she wasn't sleeping... she was pretty much nocturnal. _

"_...I need to forget her." I said simply, my voice quiet in the small cabin. I heard her shuffle out of her bed and she slowly crawled into my bed. "I just need to forget her..." I repeated as she started kissing my neck. My hand held the back of her head as she continued her ministrations, her hands cupping my chest under my shirt. My breathing altered as she stirred feelings within me. "I just need to forget her..." I chanted aloud until I could no longer speak from the onslaught on my body and emotions, but I chanted it over and over in my head. I suppose it defeated the object; I tried to forget her but I repeated that need over and over, her beautiful face filling my mind as fingers and tongues and teeth ravaged me in my bunk. I never let her kiss my lips. She tried. She tried a lot. But I refused. I think it was me still hanging on to that small piece of hope that Lilly may one day realise... _

-X-

Miley scrunched her eyes tight shut, not wanting to relive those days at camp. She never forgot Lilly, not really. She stopped seeing Lilly's face when Katie fucked her. She stopped imagining Lilly when she fucked Katie. But she never really forgot her. Never. She'd sob quietly every time, every time that Katie slept or wasn't in the cabin... she wept. She might not see Lilly, but she could still feel her. That feeling tormented her and she began to resent it, it filled her with hate about how much control one person had over her. She grew aggressive with Katie, who soon tired of what had started as a mere game for her. That hurt Miley. She no longer had that release and was forced to turn everything into hate, every emotion of anger she experienced, she aimed it at the blonde she left back in Malibu.

When she came home, when she saw her beautiful Lilly running out to see her... she wanted to do two things: run and hug her and forget everything that had happened during the summer. The second thing she wanted to do... she wanted to punch her. She really did. That anger and hate boiled with in her when she saw that Lilly had grown so much more beautiful over the summer, that those weeks had turned her into a beautiful young woman. She'd lost that almost childish essence of hers... Miley could see that she was now a woman, and she noticed straight away, with that low cut top of Lilly's that she'd had another little growth spurt which strained against her shirt and pushed into Miley as she hugged her.

She'd smelt so good too. Like sweet apples and cinnamon. Miley didn't hug her back. She was scared she'd never let go and she'd be right back to square one. Katie had taught her something; how to block her feelings. Miley didn't feel anything when she slept with Katie, it was just a release for her... she blocked everything out, barely realised it was Katie who was doing such things to her. So she didn't hug her back, she'd vowed to block those feelings for Lilly; the ones she'd tried to change to hate... it worked somewhat but she couldn't truly get rid of them, not really.

"Miley... talk to me," Lilly almost pleaded in the dark storeroom, bringing Miley back out of her head. "Tell me what I didn't do."

"Lilly..." she cried, rubbing at her tears. "You really don't know... you never saw... you never noticed..."

"Noticed what?" Lilly yelled, standing up and completely pissed off with this guessing game. "Tell me Miley! What didn't I notice? What didn't I do? What happened to make you hate me so? Why did my best friend abandon me?"

"Because that's all I ever was to you!" Miley shouted back then put her hand over her mouth; the words had come out before she could stop them. Lilly was stunned, her mouth opening and closing. She didn't really understand what she was saying but she thought she did... but is that really what Miley meant? "Lilly, I was crazy about you! I was crazy about you!" she repeated, pulling at her hair in frustration and fear, the words spilling out now. "I loved you Lilly! And you didn't have a clue! You'd tell me you loved me but then you'd ruin it by calling me your best friend. I tried to tell you so many times, hoping you'd feel the same or at least let me down easy but I chickened out every time thinking you'd hate me. I love you Lilly. That's what went wrong with us. I loved you and I couldn't stand it anymore!"

Lilly was silent. Miley cried more, scared that even now, even when they were no longer friends, that her admission had ruined their relationship even further. They fought, they threw angry words at one another... but it was still a relationship, a hateful one, but existed. Now, would Lilly ignore Miley completely? Would she lose that tiny bit of communication with the girl she still secretly had feelings for?

Before another tear could slide down Miley's cheek, Lilly's hand was behind her neck and her lips touched Miley's for the first time. Miley tried to pull away, unsure of the whole thing, scared of being hurt even more but Lilly held her fast. Her other hand went around Miley's waist and to the small of her back, preventing her from backing away. Lilly's lips began moving against Miley's and she couldn't resist much longer. Miley's own hands went into Lilly's hair as she moved her lips desperately with the blonde's. They moved as close as they could get, still pushing against one another in a futile attempt to get impossibly closer to the other. Soft moans slipped from the girls as their tongues touched and the kiss grew more heated.

"No." Miley suddenly said and pulled from Lilly's embrace, backing away and banging her legs on a cabinet. She wasn't far enough away and she jumped up on the cabinet, not taking her eyes off of the panting blonde in the half-light. "What the fuck was that?"

"Wha... I thought... you just..." Lilly couldn't speak. She'd never thought it would feel like that. She'd kissed Miley... more than kissed, she just made out with her. She placed a hand on her chest, feeling her heart racing and her knees felt weak. Her breathing was still heavy and she watched Miley as she tried to push herself further away, her eyes wide and terrified. She wanted to reassure the brunette, tell her everything but her mind had gone to mush. She could barely think anything other than that she'd finally kissed her. She'd finally kissed her best friend.

She didn't realise her attraction to Miley, not at first. There were little things like admiring her bikini body or thinking about how Miley didn't need makeup to make her look gorgeous, how she could get any guy she ever wanted. She thought they were normal things to think of your best friend, to think they were so beautiful and flawless and utterly perfect. And she thought, maybe deep down, maybe it wasn't normal. So she got herself a boyfriend, ignored Miley's protests... and she let him take her virginity. She'd been high when it happened, not because she wanted to but because she needed too. She couldn't sleep with Jake with a sound mind; she needed to escape while he did it. She didn't know why she felt that need, for her attraction wasn't in her conscious mind and she subconsciously avoided admitting it to herself not knowing that Miley was in love with her, that every time Lilly said 'best friend' or 'I love you' it cut into Miley's fragile heart.

Her feelings came into her conscious mind when Miley went to camp. It wasn't normal to need someone as much as Lilly needed Miley. She eventually added everything up, remembering her shyness and nervousness around Miley on that first day, her admirations, their playful banter... everything. She knew she'd developed feelings for her, that they'd been there since she was nine years old. Her brain had just ignored them. But hearing Miley admit her feelings so brutally... she just had to kiss her. She didn't care if it would be rejected, that Miley no longer felt anything for her; she just had to taste those lips at least once.

"Why did..." Miley stammered, hugging her knees close to herself. "You just..."

"I think..." Lilly struggled with the words. "... I still love you."

This time Miley was silent for a moment. "But... but... w-we hate each other... you made me hate you!"

"I'm sorry... but you made me hate you too."

"... I still have feelings for you, Lilly. I never forgot them, no matter how hard I tried. Why did you have to taunt me so? You're straight! You fucked Jake Ryan!"

"I _thought_ I was straight. Maybe I am. Maybe it's just you who fascinates me so..." she paused. "Jake Ryan... I can hardly remember him... I remember wanting nothing more than running home to you though; and I did, I came home and cried into your arms."

"Wh-why didn't you tell me?" sobbed Miley, thinking that all that happened at camp could have been avoided.

"I didn't _know_!"Lilly shouted, pulling a hand through her hair. "It was only after you left that I realised, then thought there were so many little things that you did that might mean you liked me too but then you came back, hating me and I was so confused... I just wanted you back!"

Silence fell in the room and very slowly, very carefully Miley edged closer to Lilly whose eyes were closed as she too, cried. Miley tentatively placed her hands on Lilly's forearms, causing Lilly to open her eyes to look into the shadowed face of her old best friend; and she saw the soft smile there. Miley slowly opened Lilly's arms which she'd crossed, and placed those arms around her own waist before resting her arms around the blonde's neck.

"You have me now," Miley said so softly before touching her lips to Lilly's again, not like before... This kiss was soft, sweet and gentle. Their hands didn't hold the other tight to their bodies; instead they hung loosely; knowing neither of them would reject the kiss, perfectly content with one another. "I love you, Lilly Truscott. I always have and always will," Miley whispered against those perfect lips.

"I love you too," Lilly told her surely before kissing the brunette again, suckling softly on her bottom lip. The two girls were so wrapped up in each other they didn't notice the lights flicker and come back on. For several moments the two friends-turned-enemies-turned-lovers simply shared soft sweet kisses, lost in one another's touch.

"Girls?" they heard a voice and jumped apart. Moments later the art cupboard door was unlocked and swung open to reveal the woman who had come in to tell Miss Pierce about the phone call. "Oh thank goodness you didn't kill each other," she chuckled before waving the two of them out the room. "Collect your things and get home safely, I'll clear up the mess. Just get home before this storm gets even worse,"

Checking her phone, which surprisingly still had battery despite having the light on for so long, Lilly saw that it was now five fifteen pm. They'd been stuck in that room for almost two hours. The best two hours of her life. The two of them entered the classroom and picked up their bags. Lilly handed Miley her jacket back and pulled on her sweatshirt. Miley mumbled 'sorry' as she brushed off the word she'd written.

"You might need another bag," Miley told the woman, "We went to get one when the lights went off. There's a chair in there to reach them..."

"Thanks," she said and she headed into the store cupboard.

"Miles..." Lilly said catching the brunette's hand.

"Mhmm?"

Lilly put her hand in her jeans pocket and pulled out a black leather cord on which dangled a silver pendant. "I've never been without it," she said shyly.

Miley smiled, her heart swelling as she kissed Lilly's nose before reaching into her own pocket and pulling out her own pendent. "Me neither," she admitted. They shared a grin before helping the other with returning the pendants to their rightful places, around their necks.

They joined hands as they left the room, their fingers entwined but with the other hand, they both touched the small silver circle out of habit. Their fingers running over the engraved words...

_Miley and Lilly Forever._

**AN: Yeah, that was really long. I'd love love love love love some reviews :)**


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